Building Safety Act 2022 Guide

What are the 2026 Building Safety Compliance Deadlines?

The Building Safety Act 2022 remains the most significant overhaul of building safety legislation in the UK since the 2005 Fire Safety Order. It was born from the Grenfell Tower tragedy and fundamentally changed who is responsible for building safety, how that responsibility is enforced, and the consequences for getting it wrong.

For facilities managers, the implications have grown more substantial over time. Whether you manage a single commercial building or a portfolio of high-rise assets, we are now past the transitional phase. As of early 2026, we are in an era of active enforcement where digital documentation and personal liability are the industry standard.

The New Dutyholder Framework

One of the most important shifts is the creation of clearly defined dutyholder roles. These are modelled on the roles from CDM 2015, but they now operate throughout the entire life of a building rather than just during construction.

The Accountable Person (AP) and PAP

For “higher-risk buildings” (residential buildings 18m+ or 7+ storeys), the Act introduced the Accountable Person. This is the legal entity with the repairing obligation for the building’s structure or common parts. In complex buildings with multiple owners, one is designated as the Principal Accountable Person (PAP).

It is worth noting that the “Building Safety Manager” role was scrapped by the government years ago to reduce costs. This means the legal burden sits directly with the AP or PAP. As an FM, you are the technical arm that enables them to meet these duties. In 2026, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is an independent body under the Ministry of Housing and is actively “calling in” buildings to apply for Building Assessment Certificates. Once you are called, you have just 28 days to submit your full safety case.

The Responsible Person

The concept of the Responsible Person (RP) was already established, but the Building Safety Act has tightened these obligations significantly. Under Section 156, RPs for all buildings must now record their fire risk assessments in full regardless of company size. You must also share this information with other RPs in the building and provide it to residents in high-rise settings.

For FMs, this accountability is real and personal. Under Section 161 of the Act, if a safety breach is linked to the neglect or connivance of a manager, you can be held liable alongside your company.

Passive Fire Protection: The Heart of Compliance

Passive fire protection (PFP) includes your fire doors, fire stopping, and compartmentation. It is the core of this new framework. Your building’s safety strategy relies on fire-rated walls and doors slowing the spread of fire to give people time to evacuate.

In 2026, the BSR expects high-fidelity evidence. If your compartmentation is compromised by legacy penetrations or poorly maintained fire doors, your fire risk assessment is essentially a fiction. Under the Act, RPs are now required to:

• Carry out and record a full FRA and review it following any significant works.
• Maintain fire safety measures in an effective condition.
• Keep digital records (the “Golden Thread”) of all measures and make them available to the Regulator on request.

If you haven’t had an intrusive survey recently, you are operating with a compliance exposure. In the current enforcement landscape, the penalties for non-compliance include unlimited fines and custodial sentences of up to two years.

Practical Steps for FMs Right Now

If you are responsible for a building in scope, these steps are relevant to your day-to-day operations today:

1. Review Your FRA: Ensure it is current and written. In 2026, the BSR is increasingly looking for Type 4 intrusive surveys rather than simple visual checks.
2. Commission a PFP Survey: A survey by a FIRAS-certified contractor gives you independent, documented evidence that you have managed the risk properly.
3. Secure the Golden Thread: Your records must be digital and searchable. If you cannot show exactly when a fire door was last remediated, you have a gap in your documentation.
4. Implement PEEPs (April 2026): By April 2026, it is mandatory to provide Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for residents with disabilities in buildings over 11m.
5. Audit Your Supply Chain: The Act places a “duty to ensure competence” on those appointing contractors. Ensure your PFP partners hold third-party certification and align with the PAS 8673 competence standard for FMs.

Source References & Legal Citations

• Primary Act: Building Safety Act 2022
• BSR Independent Status: Building Safety Regulator Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/20)
• Personal Liability: Building Safety Act 2022, Section 161
• Evacuation Plans (PEEPs): Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025
• FM Competence Standard: PAS 8673:2022

Key 2026 Compliance Dates for Facilities Managers

The regulatory landscape is moving fast this year. To stay ahead of the Building Safety Regulator, FMs should keep these milestones in their 2026 planning:

How Blue Chip PFP Can Help

As FIRAS-certified specialists, we provide the intrusive surveys and digital remediation records required for your Golden Thread. We help FMs bridge the gap between standard maintenance and the rigorous requirements of the 2026 building safety regime.